BonvoyTraveler

    After taking the train from Florence we arrived in Rome and grabbed a taxi to Le Meridien Visconti Rome located close to the Vatican. The hotel was wonderfully located near to the Vatican and an easy walk to the Tiber and into many of the main sights of Rome and a wonderful bottle of Prosecco was waiting as our Titanium Welcome Gift.  On our first night we went out for a walk around the city and to the Vatican to get some great nighttime views and pictures.     The next day we were up early for our early entry tour of the Colosseum, which was well worth going to first thing to avoid the crowds.  The tour was an amazing exploration of the Colosseum, and after we did the short walk to the Roman Forum which was a little busier by 10 am but doing a self guided tour we were able to see a great deal at our own pace.  We walked around much of the city stopping at the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain before heading back to the hotel for a break b...

We took an afternoon train from Venice to Rome inn the very affordable Business Class cabin of the Italo Train.  Arriving in Florence we again opted for the AC Hotel, a little away from the downtown core, a five minute drive or fifteen minute walk, but still easily accessible from the train station.  The Westin Excelsior is the better choice for location and style but again we were on a budget so we opted for the modern and efficient AC Hotel. We checked into the hotel with basic but modern and efficient rooms and were pleased to find a welcome gift treat.  We went out the first night for dinner and a walk and took cover during a thunderstorm.  The next morning I had a workout in the small gym before heading out on a run along the river.  Afterwards, we enjoyed the good buffet breakfast before heading out to explore the city.  We had lunch next to the Duomo but it was too busy to actually get inside with a two hour plus wait, so if this is a must on your li...